The formula for losing weight is straightforward: eat fewer calories than what your body needs. Over time, the restriction in calories will lead to weight loss. However, reality is a different story. This is why it seems particularly significant that the FDA has approved Signos, an app that monitors glucose levels aimed at weight loss management.
FDA approves glucose weight loss monitoring app
Aside from dieting, there are alternatives to losing weight. This includes drugs like GLP-1s that regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. You could also go for surgical options, which are more extreme and are typically reserved for patients who are obese. However, if you’d rather not take drugs or go for surgery, then this is where Signos comes in.
Signos is being hailed as the first FDA-approved app for glucose monitoring for weight loss. It leverages the power of AI and an off-the-shelf continuous glucose monitor from Dexcom. This means that anyone can download the app and walk into a drug store to obtain what they need. No doctors, no prescriptions.
It is also cheaper than buying and using GLP-1s. Signos is charging customers in three-month or six-month plans at $139 and $129, respectively. This is versus the cost of GLP-1s medications, which cost around $1,000 a month in the US.
According to Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, Signos’ co-founder and CEO, “The average person might have five pounds to lose, or others might have 100 pounds to lose. We are here to help them at any point in that journey.”
Not just for losing weight
In addition to helping its users lose weight, Signos can do more. Because it uses a continuous glucose monitor, the app can show users how their bodies react to certain foods in real-time. If you’ve ever felt tired or funny after eating a certain type of food, the app can keep track of that so that you know what to avoid in the future.
It also uses AI to make personalized recommendations to make their weight loss more effective.
That being said, the only issue we see here is that users need to get used to the idea of inserting the glucose monitor into their skin. So far, reports suggest that it feels like a quick pinch that is relatively painless.
To date, companies like Apple, Samsung, and Huawei are reportedly trying to chase the medical holy grail, which is a non-invasive method of glucose monitoring . That could take a while, so in the meantime, maybe Signos could be a good alternative.
